LOS ANGELES (AP) - After 27 years, the murder trial of a German man who posed as a member of the fabled Rockefeller family is getting under way with opening statements to the jury.

Seven women and five men were selected to as the jury to begin hearing the case Monday of Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter. He was known for 20 years as Clark Rockefeller. He says he is not guilty of the cold case killing of John Sohus.

Mr Sohus disappeared with his wife, Linda, in 1985 while Gerhartsreiter was a tenant at the home of Mr Sohus' mother.

The prosecution's case is circumstantial, based on a bag of bones found buried at the property and fuzzy memories of San Marino residents who knew the defendant.

The defence says there was no motive for the defendant to kill anyone. Ms Linda Sohus vanished without a trace.